Friday, June 8, 2012

Last Child in the Woods Book Club Week 1

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit DisorderI joined this online book club through www.journey2excellence.blogspot.com. There is still time to join up if you are interested. I'd like to share my thoughts on the first 4 chapters. So far the major points the book has dealt with is the effects nature has on the mental and physical well being of adults and children. Up until 10 years ago we lived in the urban sprawl and didn't really think that much about our relationship with nature. Fast forward to the last 10 years, we moved to the North Georgia mountains and life has changed dramatically for us. We live in a cabin on a very wooded lot. We go on walks and hikes 2-3 times a week and even raise chickens in the backyard. A few years ago we read Little House series and that sparked alot of things that we wanted to change about our lives. Living more simply, gardening and knowing where are food comes from, as well as improving our relationship with nature. Being homeschoolers I think through nature study, etc. we spend alot more time outdoors than alot of other kids. But even with that we could spend so much more. Whenever we really want to get in touch with the natural world around us some of our favorite places to go are just right down the road - a neighbors creek and yard that has many specimens, hikes to local waterfalls, or a simple walk down the road to see the cows and their newborn calves. So far I have enjoyed this book and now that The Jungle Book as wrapped I hope to spend more time really plunging in to the study.

2 comments:

Eddie said...

It's incredible the changes that moving somewhere more rural can make, isn't it?

I'm part of the bloggy book club, too, but haven't put my post up yet. Hopefully this afternoon if the coffee ever kicks in. :)

Nicole said...

Oh how I wish we could move out of town. I dream about it ALL the time! But, for now, we are in suburbia. Although we live five miles out of town, and our home is on a once-acre lot, it's still city-living ... at least too much for me. Maybe someday.